Process of treating mineral oil for the production of gasoline



2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

'Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

RENEWED MAY 20,1921.

, BQ VAN STEENBERGH.

APPLICATION FILED AFR. 20, 1918.

-PROCESS OF TREATING MINERAL OIL FOR THE PRODUCTION 0F GASOLINE.

Lemme,

B. VAN STEENBERGH.

PROCESS 0F TREATING MINERAL OIL FOR THE PRODUCTION 0F GASOLINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, I9l8- RENEWED MAY 20,192I. 1,407.34.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

V Y LIV Jlorney.

umTED STATES ,PATENT oFr-lc-E.

B'U'RHANSA VAN STEENBEBGH, 0f' GOBHEN, NEWUYOBK.

Pnocnss'or TREA'IING MINERAL OIL FOR. 'r1-:IE PRODUCTION or GAsoLnm.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Feb; `21, 1922.

Application filled April 20, 1918,`Se ria1 No. 229,707. Be'newed Hay 20, 1921. serial No. 471,176.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, BURHANS VAN STEEN- BERGH, a citizencf the United States, residing at Goshen, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Treating Mineral Oil for the Production of Gasoline, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a process for in-l creasing the yield of low boiling pointhydrocarbons, commonly known as gasoline, from petroleum or distillate products by decomposition or cracking of the higher boiling point oils. l

The principal object of my invention is to provide a continuous process for dissociating or cracking the heavier oils into oils of lighter gravities by spraying an excess quantity of the heavy oil into contact with a heated surface or numerous heated surfaces and repeatedly subjecting the resulting mixture of cracked and uncracked vaporsl to contact with heated surfaces at a temperatureto produce decomposition or cracking into vapors of lower boiling point oils with the maximum production' of vapors of lower boiling point oils and the minimum production of fixed gas' by destructive decomposition of the oil.

Byjexcess quantity of oil lor oil vapor to be thus injected I mean a 'quantity which cannot be wholly decomposed or cracked by first Contact with the heated surfaces in the normal flow of the mixed vapors through, and out of, the treating chamber or generator. fart of the injected and sprayed oil or vapor will be decomposed or cracked by the first contact with the heated surfaces,'while a part will pass on as vapor, and part of this vapor will, in passing along, be decomposed or cracked by contact with other heated surfaces into vapors of lower boiling point oils, and at the same time largely prevent destructive decomposition of the first produced light products, resultin inthe formation of lamp-black or hard car on and loss of gasoline or other low boiling point oils.A In this way I secure ya maximum production of low boiling point product-gasoline-and a minimum production of fixed gases. -The undecomposed vapor first produced protects the gasoline products resulting from the cracking operation from further undesired and wastefull destructive decomposition. How- Adown over successively more highly heated ever, by providing a succession of heated'- surfaces a large proportion of the merely yaporized oil will be successively cracked into low bolling point products and a large yield of such productsl th-us obtained as the condensate. l

.Another object of my invention is to prov1de for spraying oil into Contact with heated catalytic agentsurfaces at a temperature to decompose the oil into lower boiling point oils and at the same time bring free hydrogen or a hydrogen carrying gas or vapor into contact with said surfaces 'for hydrogenating the unsaturated hydrocarbons and carrying them along away from the heated surfaces and out ofthe generator to prevent over-cracking or destructive decomposition and formation of fixed gases.

Another object of my invention is to provlde for generating hydrogen' carrying gas by contact of steam and oil or steam in the v presence of carbon, with surfaces heated approximately to 2,000c F. in the lower part of the treating chamber or generator and passing it directly into Contact with the hydrocarbon vapors andthe heated catalytic agent surfaces above where dissociation or cracking is effected forjexpediting the operation and exercising its hydrogenatingeffect at the moment of dissociation.

Another object is to provide for cracking oil by contact with a plurality of heated surfaces into vapors of lower boiling point oils, passing the remaining uncracked portions surfaces to crack additional portions thereof and pass-residual heavy oil or tarry matter into a'receiver outside of the heating zone so that it will not bebaked as hard carbon or lampblack upon the heated surfaces.

The catalytic agent coatings which form the heated surfaces serve the useful purpose of preventing the deposit and Iaccumulation of carbon on the heaters; also the purpose' of making gasoline of sweeter odor and 100 better quality when hydrogen is present.

I preferably employ electric heaters for constantly maintaining the exact temperature, between 650 and 850 F. in the main and upper part of the generator for best ef- 105 `fecting the cracking operation, depending upon the qualit and gravity of the oil being treated. The ower eaters are preferably heatedy toa higher temperature and may be heated to a temperature between 1,800.o F. 110

i and 2,000 Ffto serve as steam decomposing surfaces and Vfor cracking heavier portions of oil which may flow down over them for final deposit of residual oily or tarry matter in a receiving chamber below or outside of the heating zone.

An apparatus adapted for carrying out my process is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation, showing part of the electric heaters in longitudinal section and part in cross section.

Fig. 2 represents a top plan view.

lFig. 3 represents, on enlarged scale, a transverse section of an electric heater, such as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 represents, on enlar ed scale, a transverse section of an electric heater of modified construction.

l have discovered that cracking of high boiling point oil can be most economical and rapidly effected by direct contact wit a heated Surfaceand at a distance of from one-half to three-quarters of an inch therefrom, and, therefore, providethat the surfaces in my apparatus shall be between one and two inches apart, and so arranged that the currents of mixed oil vapor and steam shall be' repeatedly deflected and caused to impinge on numerous heated surfaces. ln this'arrangement l heat the contact surfaces only to that temperature which will decompose or crack the oil into lower boiling point fractions which are condensable to gasoline, and with thel least possible destructive decomposition to fixed gas and fixed carbon. lf the heated surfaces are too close together the hydrocarbon will be held too long in contact and will result in destructive decomposition and deposit of carbon. lf the surfaces are too far apart the vapors are apt to flow past them too fast and escape proper cracking. rThe tendency, then, isV

for the operator to more highly heat the surfaces, with the result that those hydrocarbons brought into direct contact with the surfaces will be overheated and caused to deposit fixed carbon and make fixed gases, instead of the desired gasoline.

l preferably employ internally heated electric heaters for maintaining a large external heating surface at the exact de ree required for the most economical and e ective operation. ln order to expedite the cracking operation, l preferably preheat oil and water under pressure to approximately '800 or 1,000o F. before subjecting them to y contact with the catalytic agent coatings of the electricheaters where cracking is effected. rlhe oil and vwater will preferably be preheated in coils of pipe in any desired heating furnace outside of my generator, but l also arrange coils or serpentine folds of one-inch pipe'between the electric heaters in the generator. 'lhey thus act as heating neonato surfaces and serve to deflect hydrocarbon vapors and steam into contact with the catalytic agent coatings of the electric heaters and to intermingle the cracked and uncracked vapors, so that a larger percentage of uncracked vapors will be caused to lmake contact with the heated surfaces.

Referring to the drawing, the, treating chamberor generator l is preferably constructed with a double plate iron shell 3 and 5, between which is placed a filling of non- An outlet vapor pipe 6d rises from the box and connects with the second condenser coil 10 in water tank 10, and this coil terminates in an outlet pipe 10" having a valve It and extending down into a seal-box 10d. rlhis box is provided with a draw-off pipe and valve g for gasoline. .4 gas outlet pipe 10h rises from the outlet end of coil 10 and is provided with a valve f to control the outflow of gas to a holder or a place of immediate use. `The seal-box 10d is not intended to serve as a reservoir, but merely as a trap or seal to prevent back flow of air into the condenser. rThe box may be filled3 or partially filled, with liquid and a vent g provided at the top in a well known manner. The representation is somewhat diagrammatic, but will be understood, and the apparatus will be made operative by those skilled in the art. A. return pipe 10e, having a valve c. connects with vapor pipe 10c and with seal-box 9b forreturning any desired portion of oil to be again run through the treating apparatus.

A safety Valve 7 and a pressure gage 8 are preferably applied to the dome 6.

In making my electric heater l may use an exterior iron tube 11, into which 1s inserted the electric heater proper, constructed as follows: A. cardboard cylinder 14 is coated externallywith insulating material, consisting of nely ground silica and finely ground carbonate of lime mixed with sodium silicate diluted with water to form a paste. rllhis paste is moulded around the cylinder 14 and forms a coat or jacket 15. rllhe tube thus formed is partially filled with granular carbon 16, and then carbon electrodes 17, 17a are' thrust into the ends of the tube making a tight fit and so as to compress the carbon into the middle part of the tubeand form a resistance connection between the ends of the electrodes 17, 17.

The tubes 14, after the insulating jacket has hardened, is inserted inthe outer iron tube 11 and the latter is placed in openings in the wall of the generator, extending atA both ends beyond the same. The ends of the tube are screw threaded. Washers 13, provided with horizontally concave inner faces, are slid over the ends of the tubes and fit against the curved wall and nuts 12 are l then screwed onto the tubes so as to clamp them securely in place. Before the iron tubes are fitted into the generator walls they'. are covered with a coating or jacket of av catalytic agent4 containing a metallic oxide,

such as oxide of calcium and oxide of magnesium mixed with diluted silicate ofsodium. These are made into a paste which is applied as a coating or jacket 18 to each tube 11 be-- fore it is secured in lace. This coating aids by catalytic action 1n cracking the oilinto lower boiling point products, and also pre-` vents deposit bf carbon.

Whenthe electric current is passed` l through the heaters the cardboard tubeswill be carbonized, forming in effect part of the 25 resistance material of the heater. lThe heating member may be 'further insulated from the iron tube 11 in any suitable-manner.

A modified form of electric heater is shown in Fig. 4, in which a fire clay tube 15, baked at a temperature of vabout 3,0000 F. is used instead of the iron tube 11. This also makes unnecessary the inner pasteboard v tube and its insulatin coating, since the fire clay tube acts as an insulator. The catac lytic agent coating 18 ma be applied to the outer surface of the fire c ay tube.

The body of granular carbon 16 comi pressed between the ends of the electrodes 17, 17 a forms a resistance, by means of which a succession of small or short electric arcs are produced, thus converting electric energy into heat, thereby heating the tubes at that part filled withl granular carbon from the inside to the surface. 45 The heat will be largely confined within the space between the walls of the generator, by reason of the heat insulating material in the'walls. Since the granular material offers a much greater resistance to the electric current than is offered by the'electrodes, heat will be generated `principally inthe parts of the 'heaters' located betweenthe 4inner walls of the enerating chamber. Such localized heat 1s imparted to the superheater pipes 20 and the intervening space between them and the heaters.

vThough I have shown and described a special construction of electric heater, I wish it to be understood that my process is not confined to the use-of such specific construction. Modifications in details of construction may be made which may be ef-y fectively usedto carry out my process. Other kinds of electric heaters .may be used. My process is not limited to the par- .branches with the injector spray pipe 21, 21, located at different heights in the generator.

ticular catalytic agent j coating above described, but may be carried out with any one or more of the known catalytic agents which Ina-y be successfully used in hydrogenating oils, and particularly cracked hydrocarbon oils for saturating and making them sweet and of agreeable odor.

Within lthe generator chamber I arrange a series of preheater pipes 20 in theform of a serpentine, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 between the electric heaters, Fig. 1, thereby forming numerous defiectors and tortuous passa es. They also become highly heated and e ective as decomposing surfaces, and fill the `wider spaces between the electric heaters so as to divert the oil vapors into contact with the catalytic agent coat,- ngs of the electricl heaters, A mlxed` fluid,

composed of approximately eighty per cent4 oil and twenty per cent of water may be forced into thepipe 20 at the top througha feed pipe 23, having a valve d, by a proportioning force pump -22 of a known kind. This pump connects by a pipe 25, having a valve c, with-the oil reservoir-27, and by pipe 26, having avalve lc, with awater supply, not here shown. An` outlet pipe 24 connects at the bottom of theenerator` with the preheater pipe 20 an connects by Thev injectors have contracted nozzles a, a and valves'b, b. l l.

For the 'purpose of preheating the mixed oil and water to-a temperature of approximately l1,000o F. I provide a separate heatlng furnace 40 having a preheating coil 41,

and heat the same Witha coal or oil fire in a well known manner. The same` mixing and forcing pump 22 will serve for supplying mixed oil and water to the preheatingcoil 41 by the pipe connections shown. A discharge pipe 42 having a valve al for mixed oil and water leads from the discharge ipe 23 of the pump below its valve ai and connects with the preheating coil, 41. A discharge pipe 43 having a valve r leads from the bottom of coil 41 vand connects with pipe 23 which leads to the serpentine pipe 20 in the generating chamber 1. A branch pipe 44 115 having a valve p connects lpipe 43 directly with lthe vinjector spray pipe 'or nozzles The loil reservoir 27 has asupply opening and cover m. A return oil pipe 28, having a lvalve n, leads from the seal-box 9b into reservoir 27, for the return of heavy oil.

At thebottom thechamber of the generator is provided with a settling pocket 5a, having a draw-off faucet p for any heavy o il or tarry matter which may collect.

The electric heaters which are parallel and lying at different leyels are connected by bus-bars 30, 31 and 32, 33, respectively,y which bars are connected in circuit with a source of energy 34;; and a switch con-O trols the circuits. An automatic devlce, such as athermostat 36, may be located at the out'- -let of each electric heater, or at suitable points in-,the wall of the generator to control the temperature by cutting out or cutting in the circuit, according to variations in the temperature. The temperature may thus be kept within fixed limits vand practically uniform, and so long as the proper quantity of oil vapor and superheated steam is supe plied the process will be continuous.

A rheostat 37 is preferably connected with each pairof electric heaters for controlling the electro-motive force, and consequently the temperature in each set of heaters. T he heat will thus be regulated and controlled to the exact degree required for cracking the heavier hydrocarbon into lower boiling point hydrocarbons to make gasoline.

The mixed stream of oil and water may be superheated in a detached coil 11 in a separate chamber 40, which may be heated in any well known manner and passed therefrom to the spraying injector devices 21, 21a, or first into the pipe 20 and then into the injectors, as above described.

The opera-tion is' very simple and can be readily carried out by any one skilled in the art of distilling and refining oil. lt will be simply necessary to turn on the electric current at the switch 35 and heat the electric heaters to t-he proper degree of temperature, between 6500 and 8500 F., and maintain them at that temperature .during the cracking operation. lll`he pump will be so set as to draw in about 80% of oil and 20% of water by volume. rll`his mixture will be forced into a preheating vcoil preferably in the outside furnace 40. llhe temperature in the preheater coil 41 will be maintained at about 8000 or 1,0000 F. 'and the mixed oil and water and their vapors will be forced under pressure into and through the preheating coil or serpentine 20. By maintaining the fluids under pressure they will remain in a liquid condition and thus be more readily superheated. Of course, when the compressed liquids escape from the spraying nozzles of the supply pipes 21, 21a, they expand and lose part of their heat, but are immediately brought into vcontact with the heated catalytic coating surfaces of the electric heaters, where decomposition or cracking is effected.

This reduction of pressure on the oil and vapor in the generating chamber is important, as itpermits them to expand and separate more or less from the water vapor and be impinged directly upon the heated surfaces where decomposition or cracking is effected at a lower temperature than would be possible under the pressure maintained in the preheating or superheating coils Lil and serpentine 20. Decomposition of compara- Leovince tively heavy oil into vapors of lower boiling point oils is, therefore, very rapid in the generating chamber. @wing also to the low pressure or lack of pressure in the generating chamber and to thefact that hydrogen is being passed up through the chamber, the vapors of freshly cracked oil will be quickly carried out of the chamber, so as to prevent destructive decomposition by too long exposure to the heated surfaces.

Hydrogen for exercising a hydrogenating effect by contact with the catalytic `agent coatings and the vapors at the moment of cracking may be admitted by one of the lower injector pipes 21. l also propose to heat the lower group of electric heaters to a` temperature between 1,8000 and 2,0000 F. and spray in contact therewith a mixture of superheated oil and steam, thereby decomposing the steam by causing its oxygen to combine with carbon present, either in the sprayed oil or that which has been deposited on the heaters, to form carbon monoxide and liberate hydrogen. rllhe hydrogen of this mixture or that which is separately admitted by a pipe 21 will pass up through the generator and act as the hydrogenating agent to combine with the unsaturated hydrocarbons and make a pleasant, sweet odored gasoline. The carbon monoxide with other permanent gases will eventually pass oil through the pipe 10b to a holder.

rllhe lower group of electric heaters being l more highly heated, as described, will cause v heavy oily matter which may flow down over tliem to be cracked and converted into gasoline, so thaty very little tarry matter will pass into the pocket 5a. llt will be understood that most of the heated oil which is sprayed into the generator by the upper' injectors 21.a will 'be vaporized and cracked by contact with the heaters above, but that, after such cracking operation, some of the remaining heavier oil will drop down and pass over the more highly heated surfaces below and become cracked or decomposed into oils of lighter gravity.

Any heavy uncracked oil, remaining after the cracking of oil in contact with the heaters above, w'ill flow down over the more highly .heated surfaces between 1,8000 F. and 2,0000 F., below and be cracked into vapors of lower boiling point oils, and the residual heavy oil or tarry matter will pass down into the receiving chamber or pocket 5a outside of the heating zone.

The apparatus can be operated with very little' attention or manual labor and will be rapid and economical in operation.

ll am aware that hydrocarbon oil has been decomposed' and gasiiied by spraying it into ,contact with a heated surface, and l make Laomao for lgasifying the same, and I do not herein claim such a step or operation. .The above steps or operations, however, are important arts of my process as set forth in the claims.

y preheating oil or a mixture of oil and water under pressure to orabove .the'cra'cking temperature of the oil, thenspraying the same at reduced pressure agamst a heated contact surface at a cracking temperature the oil is rapidly cracked into vapors of lower boiling point oils which are passed into contact with other heated surfaces for making a homogeneous product which is passed directly to a condenser without o-pportunity to ass into heavier oils and be reabsorbed. edistillation of my gasoline product is not, therefore, usually required.

Having described my inventlon, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Theprocess of treating mineral oil for the production of gasoline, which consists in spraying .an excess quantity of preheated oil in contact with an interiorly heated surface at a temperature to decompose part of the oil by the first contact into vapors of lower boiling point oil, and to simply vaporize part of said sprayed oil, then repeatedly delecting the mixed vapors by contact with a succession of spaced and interiorly heated surfaces at a cracking temperature till the desired percentage of the vapor has been decomposed or cracked to lower boiling point oil, whereby the cracked products first obtained will be largely protected from destructive decomposition by the excess vapors which have not been cracked and whereby a minimum of fixed gas will be produced.

2. The process of treating mineral oil for the production of gasoline, which consists in preheating oil under pressure, then spraying the same at reduced pressure in contact with numerous heated catalytic agent coated surfaces at a temperature to decompose a desired percentage of the oil into vapors of lower boiling point oil and at the same time passing a hot hydrogen carrying gas into contact vwith the oil vapors'at the catalytic agent coated surfaces and thence up between said surfaces for facilitating the cracking operation, improving the odor and quality of the lower boiling point oil produced and carrying upward the light vapors. l

3. The process of treating mineral oil for the production of gasoline, which` consists in spraying an excess quantity of oil in contact with numerous spaced and interiorly heated catalytic agent coated surfaces at a temperature to decompose part of the oil by first .contact into vapors of lower boiling point oil, and to simply vaporize part of said oil, vand at the same time brin 'ng a hot hydrogen carrying gas at a hig temperature into contact with the oil vapors at the cata-lytic agent coated surfaces for facilitating the cracking o eration and improving the odor and qua ity of the cracked' product, then repeatedly .deflecting the mixed vapors by contact with a succession of such heated surfaces at a cracking temperature till the desired precentage of the vapors has been decom sed to lower boiling point oil, wherebyo t e v vapors resulting from cracking will be protected from destructive decomposition and a minimum of fixed gas produced. l

4. The process-of treating mineral oil for the productionof asoline, which consists in spraying heated o5 in contact with a 'catalytic agent coated surface at 'a temperature to decompose part of the oil by first contact into vapors of lower boiling int oil, and to simply vaporize art of said oil, at the Asame time generating ydrogen by decompositionv of steam in contact with a carbon in a separate part of the treating chamber or generator and bringing such hot hydrogen gas at -a` their vapors to a temperature between 800"l F. and 1,000o F. and then causing the resulting vapors to impinge upon a lurality of spaced and interiorly heated sur aces. at a temperature to decompose part of the oil vapors by first contact into lvapors of lower boiling point oils, then repeatedly deflecting the mixed vapors by contact with a succession of said heated surfaces to decompose other parts of the oil vapors till the desired percentage of the oil vapoi has been decomposed to l lower boiling point oils, whereby the cracked light products obtained by first contact will be protected from destructive decomposition by the vapors which have notl Abeen crackedl, and whereb a maximum of lower boiling point oils wil be produced and a minimum of fixed gas will be generated.

6. The process of treating mineral oil for the production of gasoline, which consists in forcing a mixture of oil and' water through a heating coil at a temperature of approximately 1,000 F., lthen spraying the resulting hot liquid into contact with* spaced and interiorly heated surfaces at a temperature to cause decomposition of the oil by cracking into vapors of lower boiling point oils, at the same ,time passing hot hydrogen into said vapors and thereby carrying them through and out of the generating chamber to a condenser..

7. 'llhe process of treating mineral oil. for the roduction of gasoline, which consists in forclng a mixture of oil and water through a heater and therein heating the same to approximately 1,000 F., then spraying the hot liquid into contact with spaced and interiorly heated catalytic 'agent coated surfaces at a temperature to decompose the oil by cracking into vaporsrof lower boiling point oils, at the same time passing hothydrogen into contact with said vapors at the catalytic agent coated surfaces for improving the odor and quality of lthe cracked product and carrying the vapors out of the generator to a condenser.

8. 'lhe process of treating mineral oil for the production of gasoline, which consists in preheating oil and water to a temperature between 800o and 1,000".F. and then spraying` the resulting hot liquids and vapors into contact with spaced and interiorly heated surfaces in the presence of hydrogen and a catalytic agent at a temperature to decompose the oil by cracking into vapors of-lower boiling point oils for hydrogenating the cracked oil products, and passing the resulting vapors to a condenser.

9. The process of treating mineral oil for the production of gasoline, which consists in spraying heated oil into contact with upper spaced and interiorly heated surfaces at a temperature for cracking part of the oil by A contact therewith and causing any remaining uncracked oil to ow down over more highly heated surfaces below for cracking an additional portion of the oil and -then causing deposit of the residual oily or tarry matter into a receiver below or outside of the heating zone, and conducting all vapors of lower boiling point oils resulting from4 the cracking operation to a condenser.

10. rlhe process of treating mineral oil for the production of gasoline, which consists in spraying oil upon a plurality of spaced and interiorly heated surfaces at a temperature to crack the oil into vapors'of lower boiling point oils, then causing any remaining uncracked oil to flow down over successively more highly heated surfaces to crack additional portions thereof into vapors of lower boiling point oils, passing residual heavy oil or tarry matter into a receiver outside of the heating zone and passing the vapors resulting from cracking to a condenser.

11. 'llhe process of treating heavy mineral oil for the productionA of gasoline, which consists in preheating the oil, then spraying such oil in contact with a luralty of spaced and interiorly heated su aces at a temperarepeatedly deflecting'the resulting mixed vapors by contact with a succession said heated surfaces for cracking further portions till the ldesired percentage of the vapors has been decomposed to 'vapors of lower boiling point oils, whereby the cracked light products obtained will be protected from destructive decomposition into lined gas by the va ors which have not been cracked, and w ereby a minimum of xed gas and carbon will be produced.

l2. The process of treating mineral oil for the production of gasoline, which consists in preheating oil and water under pressure to a temperature between 800 and 1,000 F. and then spraying the resulting hot liquids and vapors under 'reduced pressure into contact with spaced and interiorly heated surfaces at a temperature todecompose the oil by cracking into vapors of lower boiling niy point oils in the resence' of hot free hydrogen and "a catalytic agent for hydrogenating the cracked oil products, and passing the resultin vapors to acondenser.

13. e process of treating mineral oil for the production of gasoline, which consists in preheating oil andwater under pressure to or above the cracking temperature, then causing the resulting hot liquids and vapors to impinge at a reduced pressure upon spaced and interiorly heated. surfaces at a temperature to cause decomposition of the oil by cracking into vapors of lower boiling point oils and passing the resulting cracked products to a condenser.

1t. 'llhe process of treating mineral oil for the production of gasoline, which consists in forcing a mixture of oil and water through a heating coil and therein heating the same and thelr vapor under pressure to approximately 1,000 F., then Aspraying the hot liquid at a reduced pressure upon spaced and interiorly'heated surfaces at a temperature to cause decomposition of the oil by cracking into vapors of lower boiling point oils and passing the resulting product ed to reduced pressure into contact with heated surfaces at a temperature to cause decompd sition of the oil by cracking into vapors of lower boiling point oils, at the same time passing hydrogen at a temperature of ap-l proximately 1,000 F. into said vapors and thereby carryin them through and out of the generating c amber to a condenser.

16. The process of treating mineral oil for the production of gasoline, which consists in preheatin the oil under pressure, then spraying vsuc oil at a reduced pressure in contact with a heated surface at a temperature to crack part of the oil by first contact into vapors of lower boiling point oils, then subjecting the mixed vapors to contact with a succession of spaced and interiorly heated surfaces at a temperature for cracking further portions thereof, causing remaining uncracked oil to iow down over successively more highly heated surfaces to crack additional portions, passing residual heavy oil into a receiver outside of the heating zone, and passingvapors resultingr from cracking to a condenser.

17. The process of treating mineral oil for the production of gasoline, which consists in spraying oil in contact with an upper heated surface in a chamber, at a temperature to crack part of it by first Contact into vapors of lower boiling point oils, at the same time heating lower surfaces in the same chamber to a temperature between 1,800o and 2,000o F. and spraying in contact therewith steam in the presence of carbon to generate hydrogen, passing the hydrogen up into the cracked vapors above, and causing remaining uncracked oil admitted above to flow down over the more highly heated surfaces below for cracking addltional portions thereof, and passing all vapor products to a condenser.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in 4presence of two witnesses.

BURHANS VAN STEENBERGH Witnesses:

A. BURRoWs, J. H. MORE. 

